With the Artemis shuttle and the crew sending back images of Earth from orbit, the timing of this latest release from the electro-synth outfit, The Thief of Time, couldn’t be better timed. Three years on from the excellent, Where Do I Belong? The trio, led by Chris Massey, return with an EP steeped in electronic and synth beats that could beautifully soundtrack an ‘80s sci-fi epic.

OTHERWORLDY CALL TO CONNECT

Metropolis Rising (Building Better Worlds) opens straight into the expanse of the void with a thrilling baseline, sharp guitar accents, and a melody lifted straight from an 80s video game / film crossover. It carefully builds to a crescendo before falling away to bring sustained piano notes that give both space and tension – but with real purpose. As an opener, it immediately sets the tone for what feels like an electro-cosmic opera. The second climax showcases Massey’s flair by bringing the story of the track to its ultimate conclusion. 

“I saw you and I thought you saw me,” introduces Cosmic – an otherworldly call to connect. This track is an uplifting call to arms for us all: Lady Lady leads this ethereal call as she sings: “We are cosmic; love feels like a comet.” Bringing Lady Lady into this project, surrounding her luscious vocal with thick rich, layered and sustained synth chords, is a purposeful and clever choice as she sings the unexplainable questions of the celestial world above and around us. The track also boasts further shimmering synth work and smart production work with the focus of each layer coming through at different sections of the track. Cleverly, the EP closes with a piano version of the track which brings intimacy to what hitherto is an expansive, cosmic soundscape. 

CELESTIAL, SHIMMERING SYNTH

Gatekeepers, arguably the standout track of this project, is also the most textured and diverse track that offers layered guitar alongside a hypnotic bass underpinning that 80s futuristic pulse. The track does a magnificent job of further taking us on stargazing adventures through the shimmering synth arpeggios and distant drums taken straight from that now glorious post-punk Mancunian sound. Chris Massey and Lady Lady take joint ownership of the vocals on the track with a call and response style performance. 

Shadows Cast is pure noir-electronic indulgence, straight from a neon-lit Mancunian alleyway. Vocals are again shared between Lady Lady and Chris Massey. This time, Massey delivers with real purpose and pain behind the lyrics which offset perfectly against Lady Lady’s more uplifting elements. The track is brought together with a sultry guitar riff and excellent drum machine work from Mike Grubert, whose beats carve momentum into each corner of the EP. 

ORBITING AMBIENCE

Listening to this EP brings to mind the atmosphere and ambience of Cocteau Twins’ The Moon and The Melodies; not a direct comparison but more an acknowledgment of the composition style of the tracks. There are echoes of Pet Shop Boys too and the influences are relevant as this is the most melodic and ambient of The Thief of Time’s previous works. Despite these reference points, it carves its own orbital arch with raw, post-punk-electro sound and intentional composition. We Are Cosmic is out now through Chris Massey’s own Sprechen Records. 

The Thief Of Time: Bandcamp

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